Earlier that year, on April 9th 1941, Greenland's security was entrusted to the USA by the Danish Ambassador, Henrik Kauffmann, in Washington, as Denmark itself was unable to ensure Greenland's security and supplies to the country under the German occupation of Denmark.
The USA set up a number of military bases and weather stations in Greenland during the Second World War, including the military base Bluie West 8 at Kangerlussuaq. During the war, Bluie West 8 soon became one of the most important stopover sites for flying missions between the USA and its allies in Europe, owing to the fine flying conditions for which Kangerlussuaq became known.
In the period between November 15th 1954 and October 1st 1965, SAS also began making use of Søndre Strømfjord for stopovers on the route between Copenhagen and Los Angeles.
The non-stop route linking Copenhagen and Søndre Strømfjord had thus been created and, besides being an American military base, the airport became the gateway to Greenland. In 1960, the civil aspect of the base was established with a transit hotel as annex.
When the disarmament between the USA and the USSR started in 1989, the Pentagon decided to close down the DEW stations for the period 1990-91, soon followed by the decision to shut down the American base. On September 30th 1992, USAF left Søndre Strømfjord and on October 1st 1992, the entire airport came under Greenland Home Rule and was given its first Greenlandic name, Kangerlussuaq, as its official title. Kangerlussuaq Airport is operated by the Airport Authority under Greenland's Home Rule (Mittarfeqarfiit).
Today, with a population of approx. 325, Kangerlussuaq Airport is an exclusively civil area, outside any municipal classification. The resident population is directly or indirectly employed in connection with airport operations, and the airport town has both a kindergarten and a school. There are some 20 pupils aged from 6 to 13, complete with their own recreational facilities, and some 10 infants in the nursery section. Their free time is devoted to the wealth of natural experiences which the area offers and the recreational facilities available to local residents, tourists, conference participants and airport guests alike.
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